Game board apparatus



June 1957 L. E. BAKER ETAL 2,794,641

GAME BOARD APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 3. 19-54 FIG.

iiiilmllilfllniziil INVENTORS Lynn E. Baker Frank. I? Boll QJ ATTORNEU June 4, 1957 L. E. BAKER EIAL 2,794,641

GAME BOARD APPARATUS Filed Feb. 3. 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 50 OF E FIG. 2 53 Lynn E. Baker Frank I? Bull ATTORNEY} INVENTORS.

GAME BQARD APPARATUS Baker, Alexandria, and Frank P. Ball,

Arlington, Va.

Application February 3, 1954, Serial No. 497,914

4 Claims. (Cl. 27313t}) This invention relates to game boards with movable game pieces and scorekeeping elements.

An important object of the invention is to provide a game board and movable game pieces which may be used to play various games requiring forethought and skill.

Another important object is to provide a game board for games in which opposed players play fields which are, at stages of the games, shielded from the view of opponents, but the major portions of the shielding means may be removed in order to render all fields within the range of vision of all opposed players.

Still another important object is to provide a game United States Patent 9 ice board which includes two spaced-apart, upwardlyeextendns. substant y tr parent a d parallel p ay fi lds whichrnay, atstages of the games, be separated by removabl opaque i l s, s that es y be made in secrecy and the moves subsequently revealed to. opponents by remava t h hiel Additionally, an important object is to provide agame board including upwardly-extending playing fields. and players indicia accommodating portions, whereby the players may inscribe, upon suitable carriers, data as to the his y of h d spos tio f se pi ces. 11 the playing fields and thus provide charts. The portions are preferably disposed in substantially horizontal planes and in close proximity to the playing fields.

A further important object is to provide a, game board whieh includes panels or wings which may be utilized to mount score cards thereon and which panels or Wings d nally unc n assuppl m l h d n bra o th upward y d s p ay fi d In addition an object of the. invention is to provide means carried by the upwardly-extending playing fields to prevent indicia thereon and game pieces carried there-. by to be accident ly removed upon movements of the opaque shield.

-Afurther object is to. provide a me board WhiGh is adapted to include upwardly-extending playing fields with the lower edges of the upwardly-extending playing fields raised above, the horizontal plane of players stations so. that material incident to the game may be passed thereunder.

More over, an important object is to provide a combination game piece including a portion which is adapted to be inserted into an opening and a; portion providing a base upon which the game piece may be stood. upright.

Other'obj'ects and advantages of the invention will be. apparentduring the course of the following detailed description of the invention, talgen in connection with the.

accompanying drawings forming a part of this disclosure and in; which drawings:

Fig; 1 is a perspective view of the game board set up, and ,with removable shields superposed thereabove.

- Fig. 2;, is a vertical longitudinal section of the game boa-rd f: F -1 i Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section of the game board of Figs. 1 and 2 in a closed position.

F ig. 4 is. an enlarged fragmentary vertical section of Patented June 4, 1957 the lower end parts of the playing fields atthe central portion of the game board of Fig. 2 and means for hinging together three game boardportions, fragments of several game pieces being shown in elevation.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section illus= trating hinging means for indicia carriers, forming por= tions of the game board.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section of the lower end parts of the playing fields at one end portion of each field, illustrating means to space the fields a art.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section through a game piece receptacle and showing means to secure it to the game board.

Fig. 8. is an enlarged vertical section of a latch means for the indicia carriers.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal section of a panel or wingand showing means to removably support a score card thereby.

, Fig. 101's an enlarged vertical section of a clip and showing means to secure it to the game board.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section showing an abutment for the panel or wing ofFig. 9.

Fig. 12 is. a greatly enlarged vertical section of a playing field with a game piece in elevation and showing means to prevent dislodgment of the game piece upon movements of; a removable shield.

Figs. 13, and '14 are top .plans ofithe transparent indicia carriers with indicia thereon and .upon sheets beneath.

Fig. 15: is; a greatly enlarged fragmentary upper edge portion of a playingfield with a removable shield associated therewith and provided with indicia.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is showna preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A designates the. game. board, B, game pieces and C, indicia recording means.

The game board A includes two spaced-apart outermost substantially horizontally-disposed game board portions 10, which constitute players stations, and an innermost game board, portion 11. When the game board is folded, the twoportions 10' also constitute the covers and the portion 11 constitutes the spine.

Each portion 10 comprises a substantially fiat sheet 12 of heavy material such as hardened plastic, plywood, and heavy pasteboard, preferably provided with an upstanding marginal flange 13 except at its rearwardly-extended part. Asmay be seen in Fig. 1, the sheet 12 is narrowed at this rearwardly-extended part so that the end portions of the flanges 13 converge rearwardly to. form -abutments for the panels. orgwings 50; to be subsequently described. When the game board is folded or closed, as in Fig. 3, thefianges 13 meet attheir edges to'provide closures. The sheets 12 and flanges 13 may becovered over their outer surfaces with a suitable covering 14 .as cloth, plastic material, leather and the like.

The portion 11 is preferably a. relatively narrow strip 15 of the material forming the portions 10 and provided with a covering 16. like the cover 14.

Means 20 is provided to movably secure the rearwardlyextended parts of the portions 10 to the portion 11 and may comprise leaf hinges, as shown in Fig. 4, suitably riveted, as at 21, to the portions 10 and 11.

Carried by the portion 11 is a pair of spaced-apart, upwardly-extending substantially parallel playing fields 25 of sheets 26 of suitable substantially transparent rigid material, such as hardened plastic. Each field is provided with a plurality of game piece-receiving loci 27. Preferably these are the walls ofcircular openings extending through the sheets 26. apart and, spaced from the margins of the sheets.

The loci 27 are equally spaced:

3 .Referring mainly to Figs. 1 and 15, it will be seen that there may be provided indicia upon the sheets 26. This indicia depends upon one or more games which may be 'played and, in the example shown, comprises an .outer band 28 of one color, as yellow,.spaced inwardly of the edges of the sheet 26, and an inner band 29, preferably of another color, as blue, spaced inwardly of the .band

28' and'the two bands enclosing outermost lines of loci as in Fig. 1. It will be noted in'that'figure that the band 29 is broken in order to embrace. also three loci not in the outermost lines thereof. .The' bands are disposed, in relief, upon the inner confronting faces of the sheets 26.

In order to prevent therernovable shields 46 (to be subsequently described) of Fig. 1 from damaging any indicia upon the inner faces of the sheets 26 and also maintain the shields 46 substantially vertical, for proper cooperation with, for example, the loci 27, as well as guard the removable shields from snagging upon the inner ends of the game pieces B and dislodging the game pieces, we provide guard and spacing means 30 comprising beading 31 extending outwardly of the outer and inner bands 28 and 29 as may be seen in Fig. 12. The beading 31 has, of course, horizontal and vertical portions joined at their ends and extends from the inner faces of the sheets 26.

Means 35 supporting the sheets 26 from the portion 11 in spaced-apart relationship may comprise two spacer strips 36 preferably, but not necessarily, of hardened plastic material being L-shaped in vertical longitudinal section disposed at the inner faces of the vertical edge portions of the sheets 26 and secured to the sheets in any approved way, such as by the screws 37 shown in Fig. 6. It is preferred to raise the sheets 26 so, that their lower edges are slightly above the upper face of the portion 11 so that a space is provided and material, such as sheets of paper, may be slid through the space from one portion to the other portion 10, and dust, which might accumulate in the space 40 between the sheets 26, maybe wiped or blown away. The strips 36 may be provided with inwardly-extending feet 38 secured, in any approved way to the portion 11. Bolt and nut assemblies 39 are shown by way of example with the shanks of the bolts extending through the portion 11 and feet 38 and the nuts screwed down upon the shanks to contact the upper faces of the feet. The feet have another function in that they support the lower edges of shields 46 to be next described.

Associated with the playing fields 25 is curtaining or shielding means 45 for disposal between the two sheets 26 in the space 40 between them. This means is shown as, preferably two removable shields 46 each comprising a sheet of suitable opaque material such as hardened plastic, plyboard, heavy cardboard and the like adapted to fit quite snugly in the space 49 and with their upper end portions projecting upwardly from the space and to these portions may be secured suitable handles 47. Means to support material upon the shields 46 maybe an upwardlyopening pocket formed upon one face thereof of a suitable sheet 48 of substantially transparent plastic material secured, at its 'side'and bottom edge portions, to the side and bottom edge portions of the shield as by a border frame 49. It is important that this pocket be so disposed that when an insert is disposed therein, indicia thereon will bear a relationship to the loci 27. For example, on the insert 70 of Fig. 15, bearing the cross lines 72 (which insert is directly back of the sheet 26 of transparent material), the latter should cross outwardly of the loci.

V The four panels or wings 50, with their plural functions preferably include rigid sheets of suitable material, as hardened plastic, plywood or heavy pasteboard, each preferably having a border frame 51 extending about the 7 side and bottom edge portions of the sheets and carrying a transparency as a sheet 52 of transparent hardened plastic to provide an upwardly-opening pocket to receive a suitable scorecard 53. The panels or Wings 59 are preferably movably carried at the end edge portions of the sheets 26 as by hinge means 54, as to hinge toward and away from the sheets 26. The adjacent portions of the flanges 13 limit outward swinging of the panels 50 and when the latter are so limited the panels form auxiliary shields so that players at one end of the game board cannot see the plays of their opponents particularly with the shields 46 in place. In addition, the extended panels 50 form braces for the upwardly-extending sheets 26, preventing movements of the latter and accidental folding of the portion 11 as when a portion of a game piece B is inserted into a sheet 26. Until the panels are swung into face-to-face engagement with the sheets 26, the game board cannot be folded, and accidently striking either portion 10 will not cause it to fold nor jar excessively when the panels are extended.

Referring now to the players indicia-accommodating portions 55 of the game board, these portions are carried by the sheets 12 of the game board portions 10 upon their upper faces. Preferably each portion 55 includes a sheet 56 of substantially transparent hardened plastic movably secured to its associated portion 10 as by leaf hinges 57 and held in place by a suitable catch as the pivoted catch 58 of Fig. 8 with the catch member pivoted to the portion 10 as by the pivot 59 and adapted to removably overhang the sheet 56. This sheet is provided with a suitable conventional surface to receive indicia made, for example, by crayons and to extend over an insert which may bear cross lines 77 and 78 as in Figs. 13 and 14 respectively and other indicia 75 and 76, depending upon the game being played.

For the purpose of housing game pieces, we prefer to provide a game piece receptacle 60 for each portion 10 preferably disposed as in Fig. 1 and secured to the associatedsheet 12 of the portions 10 as by a rivet 61, for example, as shown in Fig. 7.

In Fig. 10 is shown a clip which may be employed to removably retain indicia recording means C, as a. crayon pencil. In the example shown the clips 65 are disposed in pairs upon each sheet 12 and may be secured thereto as by rivets 66.

Of course the inserts mounted in the pockets of the sheets 26 and those disposed beneath the sheets 56 may vary. In the example shown, the inserts for disposal in the pockets of the sheets 26 may contain indicia 71 as in Fig. 15 and cross lines 72. The inserts 73 and 74 of Figs. 13 and 14 respectively may contain indicia as 75 and 76 and cross lines 77 and 78.

Referring now to the game pieces B, each comprises a head portion 80 and a base portion 81 joined by a body portion 82, as may be seen in Fig. 12. The head portion 80 is adapted for association with the loci 27, in that it is cylindrical and adapted to be inserted into the openings at the loci. The base portion 81 includes a substantially flat end face 83 so that the game piece may be set up thereon. This arrangement enables each game piece to be employed both ways during playing of games, such as The game of air defense to be nextdescribed as one example of a game which may be played, using the game board A.

The rules and procedure for playing The game of air defense may be as follows I. Summary of principles:

1. Players and sides- (a) Two sides may play. Each side may consist of one or more players; but if more than one player is on a side, a commander must be designated from among them. The commander may ask for advice as he sees fit, but his decision is final as to the conductcof his sides play.

(b) One of the two sides at any given time has the initiative and is therefore designated aggressor, the other defender, at that time. The sides objectives, as well as certain of its rules of procedure, depend in part upon whether it has the initiative. 7

2. Objectives- Only aggressor scores. He does so by destroying deh Power o r st an hs siah his sar lahs (see below). Hence:

(a) assso hissti s o make as lar s s a e as possible While he has the initiative, particularly by es o n de der sa t ands- (I2) fe e o e e i to were?! resso 9 1 ri p a l b dsstrh h his attachin a on and thus depriving him of the capability of maintaining the initiative. I

areasand orih f The substantially transparent upwardly-extending air screening (26) bears 12Qair. spaces (loci 27) arranged in three kinds of target areas which have .score values as follows: I I e (a) The perimeter, an outer, yellow hand (28) ofpositions having score value (b) The interior, all unmarked positions within the blue band (29.): score value v100;

(c) The heartlands, specific positions which may be marked by the .indicia recording means C upon the screen 26.with, for example, red diamonds: score value 10,000.

Aggressor scores the appropriate value in each episode for each of his weapons (game pieces B) which occupies an air space position. Thus if, in a given episode, he had four unintercepted weapons in interior-positions, his score for that episode is 400. If, in the next episode, all four of these are intercepted but one has successfully reached a heartland position, his score for that episode is 10,000. +300 minus 3 weapons.

4. Basic principles of play (a) Episodes. The game proceeds in successive episodes (which aggregate to the two separate phases of each battle of the war). In each episode the opaque security screens (shields 46) are first inserted in the space (40) of the air screen while the two sides make tactical disposition of their weapons in secret, and then removed to permit both sides to observe and record the consequences of their tactics. Thus, in each episode, each side knows fully the present capabilities and past tactics of his opponent, but has the problem of anticipating the opponents future actions.

(b) Phases of battle. Such episodes successively combine to the two phases of a battle. In the second phase of a battle, the initiative passes, i. e., the side which was aggressor in the first phase becomes defender in the second, and vice versa. The criterion for the passing of the initiative may be determined by agreement between the two sides as completion of a fixed number of episodes, passing of a fixed time, or some random criterion. In the absence of other agreement, the sides battle to the death, i. e., the initiative does not pass until all of defenders heartlands, or all of aggressors weapons, have been destroyed.

(c) Battles of war. A complete game is called a war, and may consist of any agreed number of battles. No battle, however, may consist of less than two phases unless it is previously agreed to be a battle to the death which is previously agreed to be the sole battle of the war.

5. Basic stIategy (a) Except as governed by tactical limitations (see below), sides are not limited as to the number of their available weapons which may be employed in any episode. Each side may employ all or any number of his available weapons as suits his plans and his estimate of opponents intentions. Y

(b) Except for tactical limitations, sides are not limited as to directions in which they may move their Weapons, but may move any particular weapon only one position in each episode. Each side may move any of its weapons in any direction (vertically, horizontally, or diagonally), may withdraw any committed weapon, or commit any previously uncommitted weapon.

II. Tactical limitations: the weapons and procedures for their use:

a g s r and ef nd re b h n tia Pro ided ith a hash sqhalh shhsr o we ons a gam P e B: a jrss r s W ar-9 s h s be d stroyed on b interapti n n h i ase; d tehd rs we ns ca be d hj se nl with? r hhd- It: was wi hdrawa of the s shr fi cr e i n e sode a we pon a g ssor s dis o e ed o QEQUPY th same ah s a e as a weapon of qei h sr sgres q Weap n simsrssr sd' an d royed eh must be etrie ed hchi hat Phase f t e aths 5.1 ar y we pon at defend r osc aiss a un ta et in an ode hi hish a ea n of a e s is dishq srsd t he hi th scrres ehd h a r pace d tende s wsapoh slsshq d wi h the args an mus e removed troh iha has at he at e.

Aearsssr ma e te the his creen rom h s around PQsitiQhs or ithdr w t isar hhd positions r mt e a scr en. on hrou h the erim ter; He may e t t e air s reen; hcweye'r, at ny perimete pos t on andmay, f qina Perimeter p0] on, m yhto a adjacen pe m ter q in er r P $i i h or return t h award po i h A ressor ent s and. eave the screenonly v the Perimet r.

3.- Defehdsr the enter the a r screen a a y os o from any QPQIR Q QH and ma dr w t a y tqhhd nosih n- Ihus thou h. no eapon o either si e ma more more han 01.191 1 si in ny de defender has the additional s ah h f mov n t ons 5 3? .pesit n on. th ah IQh teen posi n 01 he ground to any position on the air screen in successive moves. (Aggressor has this capability only on successive ground to perimeter to ground moves.)

4. Within the above limitations, both sides may dispose any or all weapons at any ground position or air screen position save only that:

(a) No airborne weapon may move more than one air position in any single episode.

(b) No grounded weapon may move more than one ground position in any single episode.

(0) Neither side may move more than one weapon to any single ground or air position in any single episode.

Note.It must be noted that ground positions have meaning only to defender since only defender can be destroyed on the ground. Thus, only defender need consider the proper dispersal of his interceptors. Aggressors Weapons not airborne (on air screen) should merely be kept from defenders view during an episode.

Various changes may be made to the form of the invention herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A game board including two spaced-apart players stations disposed in substantially the same horizontal plane and provided with playing indicia, two spaced-apart substantially transparent and parallel rigid playing fields extending upwardly above the space between said players stations and each provided with spaced-apart loci to receive game pieces, a locus of one field axia'lly aligning with a locus of the other field, a removable shield of opaque material disposed in the space between said playing fields and provided with opposite faces, facing said playing fields, and removable sheet inserts carried upon said opposite faces and provided with indicia on their outer faces bearing a playing relationship to the loci on the adjacent facing playing field, and bearing a relationship to the playing indicia upon the adjacent players station.

2. A game board including two spaced-apart players stations disposed opposite each other, each station including a substantially horizontally-disposed body portion having an upper face and side edges, the body portions being in substantially the same horizontal plane; two playing fields, each comprising a sheet of rigid substantially transparent material, extending upwardly above the space between said stations and disposed in spaced-apart facing relationship, whereby a shield-receiving space is provided between them, a removable opaque shield disposed in saidshield-receiving space, means cooperating with said shield to limit the view of a player at one players station,

whereby said player cannot see the moves made by a player at the other players station, a pair of movable panels provided with score card-receiving pockets, said panels being hingedly secured to one of said sheets at the opposite upwardly-extending edge portions of said one of said sheets to swing over a players station, and means at said side edges to limit outward swinging of said panels.

3. A game board including two spaced-apart players stations, disposed opposite each other and each station including a substantially horizontally-disposed body portion having an upper face and side edges and provided. with upstandingmarginal flanges at said side edges, the body portions being in substantially the same horizontal plane; two playing 'fie'lds facing each other, each comprising a sheet of rigid material, extending upwardly above the space between said stations and disposed in spaced-apart facing relationship, whereby a shield-receiving space is provided between them, a removable opaque shield in said shield-receiving space, and means cooperating with said shield to limit the view of a player at one players station whereby a player at said one players station cannot see moves made by'a player at the other players station, comprising a pair of movable opaque auxiliary shield panels, said panels being upwardly extending and hingedly secured to one of said sheets at'the opposite upwardlyextending edge portions of said one of said sheets to be 8 manually swung over one of said horizontally-disposed body portions, portions of said flanges being disposed in the paths of travel of said panels to limit outward swinging thereof.

4. A game board according'to claim 3 in which said body portions are wider than said sheets and said portions of said flanges converge toward said sheets.

References Citedin the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 659,728 Call Oct. 16, 1900 947,603 Steacy Jan. 25, 1910 1,116,201 Apfelbaum Nov. 3, 1914 "1,206,253 Roan Nov. 28, 1916 1,577,932 Pa'lese Mar. 23, 1926 1,850,420 Schuldt Mar. 22, 1932 1,932,524 Jackson Oct. 31, 1933 1,942,291 Jefierson Jan. 2, 1934 2,053,598 Blau Sept. 8, 1936 2,293,298 MacDonald Aug. 18, 1942 2,579,454 Achen Dec. 25, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 310,848 Italy Sept. 9, 1933 635,614 Germany Sept. 21, 1936 237,642 Switzerland Aug. 16, 1945 913,654 France Sept. 17, 1946 

